Concerning Chocolate and Boys
by bahagsihari
Summary: Yoji and Cass meet up over the summer and things happen. The Secret, no doubt about it, is involved, but Yoji seems to have a secret of his own. Also, Max-Ernest does a thing. Contains spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

Yoji and the opponent were face to face.

He unrelentingly stared at the opponent, steeling himself.

"You," he said, "have caused us tragedy for the last time."

The opponent did not respond.

"You may have degraded my honor and insulted my comrades, but you will not win."

He dropped the bulging plastic bag into the trash can just outside the circus.

"You have been disposed of."

He then started walking towards the circus. "That's three more trips to go. Dang, why don't these old guys ever throw away their _own_ trash? Makes you wonder."

Yoji had been spending most of his time at the circus that summer.

He and his family just gotten back from Japan; not on a scientific expedition, it was worth noting, but on a family vacation. With relatives.

He saw his cousins for the first time. He didn't even know he had cousins. Not that he was complaining, though.

He got to do a whole lot, including learning more about the history of samurai from his grandfather, sparring with his cousins, and a bunch of other stuff. They even went to Tokyo Disneyland. He was back home, and as much as he would have liked to fill his time playing Minecraft with his friends from online, his parents thought it would be best if he focused on his violin classes with Lily. They didn't know Lily was also teaching him martial arts, of course, not that they would have minded, anyway, he thought.

He looked at the three garbage bags sitting in front of the Big Top, and had an idea.

Returning with an old wheelbarrow borrowed from behind Pietro's trailer, he heaved the three sacks onto it. He was surprised at how heavy they turned out to be when he started to push the wheelbarrow, but he managed to get to the trash can in almost half the time it took to carry the first bag on his own.

The day was hot, and combined with the air coming from the nearby ocean, it was very humid. Yoji put the wheelbarrow down just beside the trashcan, sweating. He wiped his brow, looked to his left, and saw someone pedalling on a bike. It was Cass.

"Yo!" he called out. "What're you doing all the way out here?"

She slowed, hopped off, and parked her bike next to his. She took a bicycle lock out of her backpack and began to tie her bike to a nearby post.

"Hey, Yo-Yoji. I'm here to see Owen, Mr. Wallace, anybody really," she said, still securing her bike. "What are you doing here? I thought you were done with class by now."

Yoji shrugged. "I'm helping out with chores." He gestured to the wheelbarrow behind him.

"Wow, you want help with that?" She stood up in front of him. He was a few inches taller than her.

He found himself swallowing. "Uh, really? You wanna help?"

Cass pursed her lips, and crossed her arms. "No, I wanna juggle with the monkeys. Yes, I want to help! What made you think I wouldn't?"

"Uh..."

She started heading off towards the Big Top, shrugging. "I can take it. What is there left to do, anyway?"

Yoji blinked, and went after her. "I think we're gonna hose off the elephants."

"Great! Sounds like fun."

She didn't sound all that thrilled, however.

* * *

_AUTHOR'S NOTES: because i'm taking a break from writing phantom pains for a bit. here, have a thing that's been in the works for a while. more chapters to follow!_


	2. Chapter 2

Washing the elephants (or rather, elephant) was a pretty big job.

The circus' one elephant, Bongo, was being ushered out from his cage by Myrtle, the circus' bearded lady. She and the elephant didn't look that much different, but if you or I were to say anything like that to her face, well, I don't think I'd like to imagine it but it wouldn't be pleasant. Bongo, meanwhile, was lazily swaying his trunk around, as if bored.

Myrtle chained the elephant to a wooden post. "Samurai Boy, you're just in time! Cassandra! What're you doing out here?"

Cass coughed. "Um. Nothing, really. Just wanted to visit, that's all."

Yoji looked at her, questioning himself on whether she suddenly changed her mind about finding Owen or Mr. Wallace, or if she was lying to Myrtle on purpose.

Myrtle raised an eyebrow. "Alright, then. Why isn't Max-Ernest with you, though?"

"I didn't tell him I was going." Cass said, matter-of-factly.

Myrtle paused to think about this. "Huh," she said, after a few seconds. "Well, you mind helping to wash old Bongo over here? He needs to cool down or else he'll catch his death."

Cass nodded, and went over to a nearby bucket that had been filled with water.

Yoji looked at Myrtle, who shrugged.

Cass threw the contents of the bucket over Bongo's back, who looked over to see what hit him. He then continued to sway his trunk around, and yawned once.

Yoji casually strolled over to a faucet where more buckets awaited him, but he spotted something long and green by Bongo's cage. He looked at it and smiled, a plan forming in his head.

Cass looked to see if there was a faucet around where she could refill her bucket, and there was one by Bongo's cage. She went over to it and

_was splashed right in the face by a burst of water._

When the water stopped, Cass could see that Yoji was holding a green hose hooked to a large tank, grinning. "You need to cool off, yo!" he joked, lowering the pressure of the hose.

Glowering, she refilled her bucket, not taking her eyes off him. "What if I opened my mouth, you lunkhead?! I could've gotten air in my lungs. I could've drowned!"

He sauntered over to Bongo, clearly proud of himself. "Well, good you didn't, then." He heightened the pressure and began rinsing the elephant, who shook his head.

Cass turned off the faucet.

Yoji was whistling to himself, hoping that Cass wouldn't take his joke too seriously. He kind of liked her. She was smart and brave and all the other stuff a hero should be, and he respected that. Sure, she could be bossy and mean, but that was part and parcel of having to play leader. She was a natural at it. Being a leader, he meant. Not at being bos-

Water was splashed onto him, and he heard a giggle. "Cass!" he yelled, "I'm gonna get you-!"

He turned the hose on full blast, dousing his target with water. He was having fun. Until somebody tapped him on the back.

It was Cass.

His eyes widening, he lowered the pressure to reveal a soggy, sour-faced Mr. Wallace.


End file.
